Didier Deschamps became only the third to win the World Cup as a player and coach. (Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTS

France defeated Croatia 4-2 to win World Cup 2018 final

Didier Deschamps became third man in history to win a World Cup as a player and a coach

He equalled the record of Brazil's Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer

France coach Didier Deschamps praised his team's "strong mental quality" after their FIFA World Cup 2018 triumph in Moscow on Sunday. Les Bleus crushed Croatia 4-2 to lift their second World Cup in 20 years.

France scored twice in each half as they proved just too strong for a spirited Croatia at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.

France had first won the World Cup in 1998 and interestingly Deschamps was the captain of the side that beat Brazil 3-0 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis in the final.

Deschamps on Sunday became only the third man in history to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach. The former Juventus coach equalled the record of Brazil's Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer.

Brazil legend Zagallo was the first person to achieve the feat after lifting the World Cup twice in 1958 and 1962 while he won as a manager in 1970. He also won the 1994 edition as assistant manager.

Germany great Beckenbauer followed next as he clinched the World Cup as captain in 1974 and as coach in 1990.

"It is really beautiful. It is marvellous. We did not play a great match but we showed a strong mental quality," Deschamps said after the match.

"We also scored four goals. We merit it. I am very happy for this team. We are coming from very far and it has not always been easy, but thanks to hard work, they are here and are on top of the world for the next four years," he added.

Antoine Griezmann, who was the man-of-the-match having scored from the spot in the first half, described it as a "great" victory.

"I don't know where I am, it is great... Very happy. It was a difficult match. Croatia play a great game. We started timidly. We knew it was a World Cup Final. We got into the game and on counter attacks, we made the difference. Very happy. We look forward to lifting the cup and taking it to France," Griezmann said.

It was the highest-scoring final since England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in 1966 and the highest in normal time since Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 60 years ago. The landmarks came thick and fast in the first half too.

Croatia had started full of energy but fell behind when Mandzukic, who scored the extra-time winner against England in the semi-final, became the first man to score an own goal in a World Cup final when a Griezmann free kick skidded in off his head in the 18th minute. It was the 12th own goal of the tournament.

That meant it was the fourth successive knockout game that Croatia had conceded first but Perisic, who got the equaliser against England, was on hand again to level the scores 10 minutes later, smashing in a low shot after Sime Vrsaljko had headed Luka Modric's free kick across the box.

But it was then Perisic's turn go from hero to zero when he flapped an arm at a corner and, after a VAR review, Argentine referee Nestor Pitana awarded the 28th penalty of the tournament, another record, which Griezmann stroked home in the 38th minute for his fourth goal of Russia 2018.

That made it the highest-scoring first half since 1974, when West Germany led the Netherlands 2-1 - also the final score then.

It was harsh on Croatia, who had made most of the running, and they were on top again after the break, continually winning their one-on-one duels in the air and in every tackle and forging forward in the French box with plenty of variety.

But France's defence, so impressive all tournament, held and they went 3-1 up on the hour as Mbappe and Griezmann combined to set up Pogba on the edge of the box. His right-footed shot was blocked but he coolly curved the rebound in with his left.

After three successive extra-time knockout games the chances of another Croatian comeback seemed slight but they looked dead and buried six minutes later. Lucas Hernandez tore down the left to set up Mbappe who drilled a low shot beyond keeper Danijel Subasic for the 19-year-old's fourth goal of the tournament.

An awful blunder by Lloris revived Croatia, as the French keeper tried to dribble around Mandzukic only for the striker to tap the ball straight into an unguarded net.

Croatia, beaten by the French in the semi-finals in their first World Cup appearance in 1998, continued to press but their energy was sapped and France safely held out for the victory.